Online overhaul launched by UKTV

UKTV is to undertake a revamp of its current online offering in an attempt to improve website traffic and viewer engagement, mediatel.co.uk reports.

The network said that the changes, including a bigger focus on social media and video on demand (VoD) services, will take place over the next 12 months. To capitalise on the increased use of tablets and smartphones, the sites will all be optimised for mobile devices.

The task is no easy undertaking, encompassing the individual channel websites for Dave, Gold, Watch and Good Food. Nature channel, Eden will be the first to receive the update, due for launch before Christmas. Really and Yesterday will follow with VoD facilities being enabled in the coming weeks.

UKTV, as those with London broadcast jobs might well be aware, started out as one channel: UK Gold, in the early nineties. It has since expanded and today operates ten channels. Dave was the first to feature VoD and figures revealed that it’s offering of the latest ‘Red Dwarf’ was watched online by 30,000 people to date.

Telling broadcastnow.co.uk that the websites have been completely rebuilt to allow modern functionality, UKTV head of digital delivery, Oliver Davies said: “There us a bit of playing catch-up as we don’t currently have much here. We need to make them much more dynamic to give people a reason to come.”

Mr Davies added that although final details have not been determined, the sites are likely to incorporate a ‘Twitter sonar’ tool which curates tweets about a specific show or be used to create recommendations for an individual.